Easy and Cheap DIY Windowpanes - No Tools Needed!

This past fall we had a detached garage built on our property. Being what construction costs are these days we went with basic vinyl windows with no window panes since it was cheaper. We thought “Meh, it’s just a garage - it doesn’t have to match our house perfectly.” But after the garage was done we realized it really was missing something with the basic plain windows, and adding panes was just what it needed. | This post contains affiliate links |

I considered a bunch of different ways to make the panes, including using thin scraps of wood painted and set within the window frame on the inside - but all of that was pretty labor-intensive. In the end I realized using thin strips of vinyl or tape would probably be the easiest - and so that’s what I did!

Using white electrical tape ended up being the perfect solution in our situation - it was to be used in a little-used area, it was the right width, and it was the right color.

Materials:

• white electrical tape (though if your window sashes are black or a different color you can buy different colored tape to match)
• scissors
• tape measure

How-To:

To apply, I first washed and dried the windows well. Then I measured out how to divide the window in an aesthetically pleasing way. For the small windows I did 4 panes across and 3 panes down, and for the big window (not pictured) I ended up doing 4 panes across and 4 panes down.

I measured out my spacing and then made small marks with a pencil on the edge of the window where I was going to place my tape lines, then carefully pulled the tape across the window (I applied the tape on the inside of the window). I did the shorter, horizontal runs of tape first because I found them to be easier and help keep the longer, vertical runs straighter since it was easier to line them up straight with those horizontal reference points.

When pulling your tape lines make sure to go slow and pull the tape out straight. Electrical tape is rather stretchy and it’s easy to distort the lines and make them wonky. Taking your time is key and don’t be discouraged if you have to redo some of the lines! I had to redo a bunch of mine, especially at the beginning while I was getting the hang of it.

TA-DA! In just a short amount of time you now have easy and cheap windowpanes, and the best part was no tools were needed. The style windowpane I tried to mimic was “colonial” in order to match our house, but if you wanted to get fancy you could try laying out your lines in a different style (diamond, prairie, etc).

DISCLAIMER: Please note that the electrical tape I used for this project does have a Prop 65 warning on the package. You may want to do your own research regarding this. We used it since it was a non-living area in a detached garage. I also made sure to wash my hands well after handling it. Use at own risk.

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Looking for more cheap and easy DIYs? Check out our blog post on how we gave our garage door a makeover in just minutes with no tools needed!

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Stacked Snowmen Presents - Fun Idea for Christmas Morning

This year I was inspired by an old friend from high school - every year she makes themed “stacked characters” out of her family’s gifts. One year it was all Santas, another year all penguins, etc - complete with accessories! I thought it was such a cute idea and wanted to give it a try myself this year, but on a much simpler and smaller scale. So I opted to make each kid their own “present snowman” and they loved it! I think this has just become a yearly tradition in our family as well. | This post contains affiliate links |

To make the snowmen you don’t need to buy anything special - in fact I just used regular Christmas wrapping paper but wrapped the gifts inside-out so the plain white back of the wrapping paper was facing out! I chose 2-3 gifts for each child that stacked well on top of each other and wrapped them, white side facing out. Then I used a sharpie marker and orange colored marker to draw the face and buttons.

Our oldest daughter recently asked for one of our New England Lakeside Baseball Caps of her own so obviously we had to give her one for Christmas! The hat made the perfect finish for her Snowman and she got a huge kick out of it on Christmas morning.

This was such an easy and fun surprise and I hope you’ll give it a try too and make Christmas morning just a little more magical.

DIY Simple Snowman Kit

Just wanted to share this easy, cute homemade gift idea for anyone with small kids in a snowy climate - DIY Simple Snowman Kits! Since we aren’t able to get together with a lot of family and friends again this year (thanks Covid), we decided to make and send these little kits so our kids could “help” their friends make their own snowmen from afar. | This post contains affiliate links |

Really there isn’t too much to explain for this project — we gathered some basic materials, painted them, and then packaged them together before including a little note from the kids.

EYES: For the eyes we used wooden toy wheels from a craft store (similar ones linked) that we painted black - but you could use just about anything, including painted rocks or scrap wood.
NOSE: For the nose I whittled down some pieces of scrap wood into a rough carrot shape, then painted them orange.
HEART: For the hearts we glued together two layers of pre-cut balsa wood hearts we had picked up at a craft store (similiar ones linked), then painted them red.
BUTTONS (OPTIONAL): We did not include buttons in our kits but you can include painted rocks, small pieces of scrap wood, or actual large buttons in your kits to be used as buttons.
GIFT BAG: We packaged our kits up in some organza gift bags I had on hand (similar ones linked), but you could wrap them up in a number of ways including using a piece of fabric that could double as a scarf!

Then I had the kids make the gift tags and write notes to their friends - they loved coming up with special drawings and messages! Our friends really enjoyed getting these kits and I’m excited to see how their snowmen turn out. Hopefully these Snowmen supplies will be something they can reuse for future winters too! Just add snow… ;)

PS - I have a few kits left over listed for sale in my Etsy Shop if you would like to check them out. Just click the button below to shop:

DIY Dry Erase Activity Book for Toddlers + Preschoolers (+ Older Kids Too!)

I was just refreshing the little books and toys we keep in our car, when I realized I had never shared about this Dry Erase Activity Book I made for our first kid years ago (and now our youngest uses it). It was incredibly easy to make and tailor to each child with what stage they were at/needed to work on. Here’s the super easy how-to, hopefully it will inspire you to make one yourself! | This post contains affiliate links |

Materials

• Mini 3-Ring Binder (5 1/2" x 8 1/2" Binder)
• Mini Sheet Protectors
• Mini Binder Pouch
• Low Odor Dry Erase Markers
• Computer Paper

How-To:

Really the how-to could not be easier! All you have to do is cut the computer paper in half to make it the correct size to fit in the sheet protectors, and then create your worksheets however you would like. I used dots for the kids to trace as well as made some free-draw pages and pages for them to practice writing out their whole names. In the pocket we keep a dry erase marker and some folded up paper towels to wipe the pages when they’re done.

We love this as a car toy and activity to do while the oldest is doing soccer practice, etc. And as your child grows you can update the pages with anything - math problems, maps to label, spelling practice, etc. Have fun tailoring it your kids and their age groups - we love that this can grow with our kids.

Page Ideas (for both young kids and older kids):

• tracing shapes

• tracing letters (uppercase and lowercase)

• tracing numbers

• writing name (all uppercase as well as with lowercase)

• free draw pages

• matching

• math problems

• spelling practice

• labeling maps

• labeling planets

• draw features (eyes, hair, etc) on a blank face

• draw details on a landscape photo

• come up with your own - the possibilities are endless!

This Car Seat Organizer where our DIY Dry Erase Activity Book lives (along with other various car toys/books).

Secondhand September

Did you know it’s Secondhand September?

We’re personally huge fans of consigning and shopping secondhand - in fact everything I’m wearing today is secondhand and name brand (blouse and jeans are Ann Taylor and the leather mocs are M.Gemi, which is a fancy Italian luxury brand I could never afford new). Right now I’m putting together a bag of winter consignments to bring to M&C Clothing and Gifts in Amherst, NH, one of our favorite consignment shops.

We love consigning because the money we earn from reselling our items can be spent at the consignment shops we use for new-to-us clothing and other items - it’s like trading up what we don’t want anymore for what we do. Reduce-Reuse-Recycle.

If you’ve been thinking of giving consignment shopping/selling a try, check out my past blog post where I share some tips on the process:

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Getting Ready for Back to School 2021

We’re getting ready to send our oldest back to school in person for the first time in about 18 months and I don’t know who’s more nervous - me or her. Nevertheless, we’re trying hard to be positive and prepare her as best we can for the return to school. I thought I would share some of the things we’re packing in the event it helps other parents think of things to pack too. | This post contains affiliate links |

Disclaimer: I am not giving medical advice… please consult the CDC, your doctor, etc for what supplies your child should need for themselves and their school situation.

Some Ideas for Back to School Supplies 2021

• Sturdy Backpack - We're huge fans of L.L. Bean backpacks. They're built to last so we buy a size bigger than our kids need in order to last them many years to come. Since our school does a lot with computers we made sure to pick a backpack that also has a built-in laptop sleeve. (Side note: We always add some added visibility to our kids' gear with Gear Aid Reflective Patches.)
• Hand Sanitizer - We got some small "key chain" hand sanitizer dispensers to attach to both her backpack and her lunch box so cleaning her hands whenever she needs to will be easy, especially important before adjusting or taking off masks and before eating/drinking.
• Covered Water Bottle - This was a small upgrade we thought might be useful this year. In the past our daughter always used reusable water bottles with an exposed spout, however we thought it might be a better idea to have one that keeps the spout covered when not in use to help keep it cleaner.
• Good Masks - We did our best to try to find better masks for this year that are supposed to have better filtration. We have some child-sized "M95" ones as well as some cloth masks that have special filters that go inside of them.
• Mask Cases/System - I have no idea if this system will be practical, but we're going to give it a try! I ordered these clear mask cases from Amazon and cut labels for them on my Cricut. We'll be packing one with extra clean masks, and the other will be empty for dirty masks to come home in. Since we invested in some better quality masks I wanted to make sure they stay in cases when not in use to keep them in good shape.
• Breakaway Mask Lanyard - These can be handy during times when masks come down (lunch/snack, mask breaks outside, etc).
• Label Everything - Pandemic or not, it's important to label all the things when kids go to school. We love this label maker for making quick and easy labels for water bottles, cases, sports gear, etc.

I hope that gave you some ideas of things you may want to pack for your children too, I hope you all have a safe, happy, and healthy school year!

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Travel Guide: Three Days on Georgetown Island, Maine

This September my husband and I celebrate 10 years of marriage. Originally we were hoping to plan a big getaway… maybe out west somewhere to one of the National Parks, or overseas - but when we were planning this past spring Covid was still a big concern so we decided to plan a short getaway closer to home. In the end it all worked out, because as another surge is coming upon us we feel like we just snuck in our little trip in time before Lockdown 2.0 (though hopefully it doesn’t come to that again). Overall we had an amazing three days on Georgetown Island, Maine and I wanted to share about where we stayed, what we did, and where we ate.

Seguin Tree Dwellings

When we were searching for a New England-based getaway we lucked out that Seguin Tree Dwellings had a cancellation for August (they are usually quite booked), so we jumped at the opportunity to stay here. We’ve seen photos of this magical-looking place for years and always wanted to check it out. We stayed at the Souhegan Treehouse which is arguably the most Instagrammed of the three treehouses at Seguin.

Our treehouse had three “sections”: the main house which was two stories tall and had a small kitchenette/dining area, full bathroom, and screened porch on the first floor; on the second floor up a twisty ladder was the bedroom loft and balcony with views of the tidal Black River.

Then attached to the main house by swinging rope bridges was a second smaller treehouse with a balcony that we had set up as a sitting room (though it can be converted to a second bedroom if you had more people in your group, or if you didn’t want to use the loft bedroom). We enjoyed the sitting room a lot - we brought magazines and books and it was so relaxing to just sit back and read and not be distracted by our phones (which we never even signed into the WiFi).

Finally, the coolest (in my opinion) part of the tree house - the cedar wood-fired hot tub! And yes - that is a hot tub, in a tree, with a swinging bridge to get it to it. Does it get any cooler? We spent every evening watching the sun go down over the Black River and relaxing in the hot tub. It was just picture perfect.

Seguin also had canoes and kayaks available for guests and we spent one morning paddling along the Black River, watching herons fish and taking in the landscape. The whole time out we only saw one other boat - it was so beautiful and so peaceful.

Red’s Eats

One of the absolute highlights of our trip was getting lunch one day at Red’s Eats which is just down the road a-ways in Wiscasset, so not technically on Georgetown Island but well worth the trip for sure! It was a rainy weekday - we got there about 30 mins before opening and the line had already started, though it wasn’t long yet. We patiently waited our turn and I just have to say the food was amazing and the service was even better (is that possible?!). Deborah and her crew handed out fried shrimp samples to eat and sanitized umbrellas to borrow while we waited in line in the rain. They also got on the intercom and gave some shout-outs to other local area shops and restaurants, which I thought was so kind of them. I ordered Fried Haddock and my husband got one of their world-famous Lobster Rolls as well as a Crab Cake. I wish I got a photo of the food but we gobbled it up too fast, it was so good. Red’s Eats definitely lived up to its stellar reputation and we will be back for sure next time we’re in the area.

Harborside General Store

One day we popped in to Harborside General Store at the very end of 5 Islands Road. It was super cute (check out that amazing view out the window too!). We chit chatted with the shopkeeper and found out she was originally from our area, what a small world. We picked up a picture book about boats to give to our kids when we got home and they loved it.

The Coastline

What is a trip to Maine without checking out the coastline? Most of our trip was a kind of rainy/overcast, but we didn’t mind - give me a rainy beach day anytime! We had the whole place to ourselves and it was so enjoyable to take in the sights and sounds of the ocean without tons of people around.

Five Islands Farm

During our stay, we popped over to Five Islands Farm a few times to grab some snacks or drinks. They had a great selection of gourmet foods, local produce, and gifts. One night we just bought a pint of ice cream there and split it for dinner at the beach - no rules on vacation! Right? Right. ;)

Doubling Point Lighthouse

Unfortunately I don’t have a picture of this lighthouse, but I recommend checking it out if you get the chance! We went early one morning to check it out, only to be met with a sign saying the grounds opened at 9AM… we were tempted to go check out this picturesque lighthouse with a long dock leading to it, but the home there looked like it was a private residence and we wanted to be respectful of those that lived there, so we left without seeing it up close. It’s important to note that to get there you take a narrow dirt residential road and there is only room for 2-3 cars to park.

Five Islands Lobster Co.

One day for lunch we went to Five Islands Lobster Company, which is located on a working wharf on the Sheepscot River. The place was hopping! So much so that we couldn’t find parking anywhere so my husband dropped me off to get food while he waited a mile or two down the road to come pick me up later. I enjoyed the wait though, it was a beautiful day and it was so interesting watching the hard-working fishermen come and go. We got scallops and haddock and brought them back to enjoy at our treehouse at Seguin Tree Dwellings.

Georgetown Pottery

We also stopped into Georgetown Pottery to browse - so many beautiful pieces in a wide variety of styles. I particularly loved the ones with birch trees on them (no surprise). They also had some amazing sculpture pieces for the garden outside.

Winnegance Restaurant & Bakery

One thing we did struggle with finding on Georgetown Island was breakfast options… so for breakfasts we hopped over to the Bath, Maine area which was just a short drive away and got breakfast to-go from Winnegance Restaurant & Bakery every morning. We loved Winnegance for it’s small-town diner feel, with local regulars eating breakfast there each morning. We brought our breakfasts to the South End Boat Launch to enjoy breakfast with a view of the Kennebec River and Doubling Point Lighthouse across the way.

On the drive to and from Winnegance you get to pass Bath Iron Works which is always so impressive to behold, and The Maine Maritime Museum which we want to visit next time we’re in the area.

Overall we had an amazing and relaxing three days in the Georgetown Island area and we’re looking forward to another trip back there again in the future.

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Easy Flag Cake For Fourth of July

We make this super easy Flag Cake every year on the Fourth of July - it’s a little cheesy but it’s fun, delicious, and a tradition our kids look forward to. It’s never picture-perfect but it doesn’t have to be, just enjoy and have a Happy Fourth :) | This post contains affiliate links |

Really this “recipe” couldn’t be any easier! You just need a few very basic ingredients/pre-made items and you’re good to go!

Ingredients:

• box of lemon cake mix and whatever you need to make it according to package directions (eggs, oil, etc). If you don’t like lemon you can use white or yellow cake mix too.

• Cool Whip or other whipped topping

• blueberries

• sliced strawberries

How To:

First bake your cake mix according to package directions in a rectangular baking dish/sheet pan.

Once it has cooled completely, add your whipped topping. We always use Cool Whip but you could use homemade or store bought whipped cream too.

Once the cake is covered in your whipped topping, it’s time to make the flag! In the upper left corner, lay out the blueberries in a square shape. Then arrange sliced strawberries in lines to make the stripes. We use a strawberry slicer to make the process go quickly (I confess when I first got this strawberry slicer as a gift I thought I would never use it, but it's actually super handy and I've used it more times than I can count! It especially came in handy with young toddlers for cutting their fruit up). Don’t worry about trying to fit in 13 stripes, we’re going for simplistic here - just fit in as many as you can that look nice.

And that’s it! Super simple, super easy, and a great dessert to make with the kids. We absolutely love that combination of lemon cake, whipped cream, and berries - yum! I hope you all have a wonderful, healthy and happy Fourth!